Alaska Travel Adventures
Juneau Office – Many people dream of going on a great travel adventure. Most of
us keep dreaming; others make it happen…

Gregg Bleakney’s dream was to
travel the Americas from top to bottom. He got the idea after he finished 1,600
kilometers (1,000 miles) bike ride. Gregg’s friend, Brooks Allen, was also a
cyclist. The two friends talked and slowly formed a plan: they would travel
from Alaska to Argentina — by bike.

To pay for the trip, Gregg and
Brooks worked and saved their money for years. Once they were on the road, they
often camped outdoors or stayed in hostels. In many places, local people opened
their homes to the two friends and gave them food.

During their trip, Gregg and
Brooks cycled through deserts, rainforests, and mountains. They visited modern
cities and ancient ruins such as Machu Picchu in Peru. And everywhere they went
they met other cyclists from all over the world.

In May 2007 — two years,
twelve countries, and over 30,500 km (19,000 miles) later — Gregg eventually
reached Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. (Near
Guatemala, Brooks had to return to the U.S., and Gregg continued without him.)

The trip taught both men a lot
about traveling, especially if you travel abroad. What did they learn? Here is
some of Gregg’s advice:

Travel light. The less baggage
you have, the less you’ll worry about.

Be flexible. Don’t plan
everything. Then you’ll be more-relaxed and happy, especially if there are
problems.

Be polite. As one traveller
told Gregg, “Always remember that nobody wants to fight, cheat, or rob a
nice guy.”